Prof. Ian Johnston Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at University of Melbourne

Prof. Ian Johnston leads a team of geothermal experts from the University of Melbourne demonstrating direct geothermal systems in Victorian conditions. Earlier this month (3rd April 2012), the Victorian State Government announced a $1.6 million grant to support the work of the University of Melbourne and its industrial partners, Geotechnical Engineering and Direct Energy. This project will install geothermal heating and cooling systems into a range of buildings around Victoria and will monitor their performance. Direct geothermal energy uses the ground to within several tens of metres below the surface to extract heat in winter for heating and to reject heat in summer for cooling. Prof Johnston will join us to explain how this technology works and what the project will achieve. Thank you to the University of Melbourne Energy Research Institute and Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute, our Zero Carbon Australia project partners for joining us in bringing you this event.